Illustrator&#39;s pen-holder desk set and components thereof



R- E. WILLIAMS April 6, 1965 ILLUSTRATOR'S PEN-HOLDER DESK SET AND COMPONENTS THEREOF Filed July 11 1962 INVENTOR. ROBERT E. WILLIAL'LS' BY EM Q. 3111.

ATTOR United States Patent "Ce 3,176,662 ILLUSTRATORS PEN-HGLDER DESK SET AND COMPONENTS TIEREOF Robert E. Williams, 3656 San Anseline, Long Beach 8, Calif. Filed July 11, 1962, Ser. No. 209,048 1 Claim. (Cl. 120-100) The present invention relates generally to the field of artists and illustrators accessories, and more particularly to an illustrators pen-holder desk set and component parts thereof.

For many years artists and illustrators have used a tube type pen point which is sold commercially under such trade names as Leroy, Art Brown, and others, which is particularly adapted for use with templates in drafting, lettering, technical illustrations, or other work in which India ink is employed. Although the tubular pen point permits curved or straight lines to be drawn of uniform Width, one major disadvantage of this type of pen point is that ink tends to solidify therein in a relatively short time whereby the point frequently becomes so clogged with solidified ink that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to clean. Also, if the tubular pen point is partially clogged, it prevents a uniform flow of ink and the line drawn therewith presents a ragged appearance and varies in width.

A primary object in devising the present pen-holder desk set and components for use therewith is to provide an inkcontaining pen-holder that is capable of holding a substantial quantity of ink, but with the flow of ink from the reservoir therein being controlled, whereby the penholder feels like a ballpoint pen when used.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a combination desk holder for a number of pens of the character described, the points of which when supported in the holder are sealed in a damp chamber to prevent solidification of ink that is positioned within the restricted portion thereof.

A further object of the invention is to supply a pen holder desk set that is attractive in appearance, occupies a minimum of space, can be fabricated from standard, commercially available materials, and can be sold at a sufficiently low price as to encourage its widespread use.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof and from the accompanying drawings illustrating that form in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the desk set, portions of which are cut away to show the interior structure thereof, with the desk set removably supporting a number of the pens as shown in FIGURE 1 in an upwardly extending position;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the desk set shown in FIGURE l taken on line 22 thereof.

A convenient support G for a number of the pens is best seen in FIGURES l and 2. An elongate strip H forms a part of the support stand G, in which strip a number of longitudinally spaced openings 76 are formed that communicate with downwardly extending tubular wells 78. The wells 78 are adapted to removably receive the barrels B of the pens and so support them that 3,l76,fi52 Fatented Apr. 6, 196 5 tubular point C is disposed above a wet sponge 82 and the air in the lower portion of the well is saturated with water vapor to prevent drying out of ink in the tube extension 40 to obstruct the same. Due to the moist atmosphere in each well 7%, each pen of the structure shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 can be left for prolonged periods of time without the ink drying therein. The strip H with wells '78 attached thereto can be easily removed from support G to permit displacement of the igionges 82 from the wells for cleansing purposes, or the As may best be seen in FIGURE 2, flanges 88 depend from the sides and ends of strip H. Flanges 88 sildably and removably engage recesses 90 formed in the upper end portions of downwardly extending side walls and end walls 92. The lower ends of side walls and end walls 92 terminate in a base portion 94. The lower extremity of the right-hand side wall 92 as seen in FIGURE 2 develops into a plate 96 that slopes downwardly to the right to further develop into an extension of base 94. A number of longitudinally spaced openings 93 are formed in plate 96, each of which openings is in communication with a downwardly extending tubular receptacle 100. Receptacles 100 serve to support additional pen points C as well as the compass connection I shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and other accessories that may be used by an artist or illustrator. The upper portion of plate 96 has at least one cradle support 102 in which the pressure syringe F may be removably disposed until needed. A cover 104 is provided that is removably mounted on the upper surface of plate 96, and serves to envelop the points C, compass connection I, and other materials supported from the plate.

The use and operation of the invention have previously been described in detail and need not be repeated.

Although the present invention is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages here inbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments thereof and I do not mean to be limited to the details of construction herein shown and described, other than as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A device for removably supporting a plurality of pens in a predetermined spaced relationship, each of which ineludes an elongate handle having a point of lesser transverse cross section depending from the lower end thereof, with said handles projecting upwardly when said pens are so supported, which device includes:

(a) a base;

(b) a pair of end walls and a pair of side walls mounted on saidbase and extending upwardly therefrom to define an enclosed rectangular space, with connected longitudinally extending recesses beiflg formed in the outer upper portions of said end walls and side walls;

(c) an elongate strip in which a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings are formed;

(d) a continuous flange that projects downwardly from the outer side and end portions of said strip and removably engages said recesses to hold said strip in a fixed position on said side walls and end walls;

(e) a plurality of individual tubular wells that depend from said strip, the interior of each of which wells communicate with one of said openings and define a circumferentially extending downwardly and inwardly tapering surface intermediate the top and bottom thereof, each of which surfaces is located above the bottom of said well of which it forms a part a substantially greater distance than the length of the point of one of said pens;

3 (f) A plurality of sponges of such size as to be insertable in said wells and rest on the bottoms thereof, which sponges when saturated with water maintain a moist atmosphere in said wells to prevent drying of ink in said points during the time said pens are supported in said wells, with the lower ends of said handles resting on said surfaces and said points being disposed above said sponges, and said pens References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/01 Hill 120108 1/19 Smalley 120-108 Vineia 120-1 Thompson 120-1 Ovington 120-108 Myers 120-48 Redfield 134-169 Sheehan 134-169 Carlisle 120-48 Van Voorkie 120-108 FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden.

JEROME SCI-INALL, Primary Examiner.

15 GECRGE A. NINAS, JR., LAWRENCE CHARLES,

Examiners. 

